What's happening with Napoli?

Antonio Conte shows his cool hand with Napoli.

There is a quiet but powerful shift taking place in the world of football: Serie A champions Napoli are quietly amassing a roster of stars once abandoned by the Premier League to create a squad that is not only quality, but also very scary.

In a market where the grandeur of the Premier League seems to overshadow everything else, Napoli are going against the grain. Rather than arming themselves with unproven talent or record-breaking contracts, they are opting for English “stock” – players who were once touted but for various reasons are no longer in demand. And the good news is: they are succeeding brilliantly.

From Scott McTominay, who was once considered inadequate at Man United, to now becoming an icon at Napoli, to Romelu Lukaku - a striker who has drifted between Chelsea, Inter and Roma - now a key striker under Antonio Conte. Most recently, Kevin De Bruyne - Man City's creative icon - has arrived in Naples, marking the biggest shock of the summer transfer market.

What's going on in Naples? The answer can be summed up in one word: vision.

Chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis - a veteran film producer - is not only a good economist but also increasingly sharp in sniffing out "opportunities" in the transfer market. When rivals like Juventus, Milan or Inter are still struggling to restructure, he "smells blood" - as journalist Vincenzo Credendino likened - and acts decisively.

Kevin de Bruyne moves to Napoli.

De Bruyne, at 33, remains one of Europe’s most creative midfielders. Rather than stay at a rejuvenating Manchester City, he has opted for a more suitable environment: a lower-intensity league, a coach who knows him well, and a city with a special vitality.

Naples is not only attractive for its Amalfi coast, pizza and the island of Capri. It is also the place where players who seemed to have passed their prime are reborn.

The Premier League has created a superstar machine, but it has also shed players who are no longer suited to the intensity of the league. In Serie A - a league that is more tactical and less about speed - players like De Bruyne, Lukaku and even Sancho (who is rumored to be on the way) are bargains.

As Credendino analyzed: a player who only plays at 6/10 in the Premier League can be 8/10 in Serie A. Because there, the pace is slower, there are fewer collisions, and intelligence in moving and handling the ball is emphasized. Therefore, it is not far-fetched that Napoli is targeting names like Jack Grealish, Jadon Sancho or Alejandro Garnacho.

In addition, Antonio Conte - a coach who does not like "long-term construction" - is extremely suitable for the "win-now" project. He is not good at training young players, but is a master at utilizing the experience of stars to create a squad ready to compete for titles.

In Conte, Napoli found the perfect complement to their ambition to break through. And in De Laurentiis, Conte also has a boss who is willing to spend and make trade-offs, but is still sober enough not to break the club's financial structure.

Napoli just won Serie A 2024/25 season.

What’s interesting is that Napoli are currently ranked 30th in terms of squad value on Transfermarkt, behind 15 Premier League teams and four Serie A sides. But they are the most stable club in terms of management, both financially and in terms of long-term strategy. From the sales of Gonzalo Higuain, Edinson Cavani, to Kvaratskhelia, they have made huge profits. They broke records with Osimhen, and are set to make a huge return when the striker leaves the club this summer.

That is: Napoli buys smart, sells well, and invests at the right time - something that not every "big guy" can do.

Napoli are taking advantage of Serie A's transition period - with Milan, Inter and Juventus all reorganising - to establish a new order. They are no longer the challengers, but are establishing themselves as a real power.

And if next season you see De Bruyne providing the pass for Lukaku to score against Milan, while Sancho comes on as a substitute and assists the winner against Juventus, don't be surprised.

Because it's not magic.

It's Napoli - the Conte version - turning Premier League "old stuff" into a weapon to dominate Serie A.

Source: https://znews.vn/chuyen-gi-dang-xay-ra-voi-napoli-post1562570.html